


Diary of a Traveller

by verityvirtue



Category: Annals of the Parrigues
Genre: Annals of the Parrigues - Freeform, Emily Short
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-04
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-18 04:30:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5898334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verityvirtue/pseuds/verityvirtue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Travelling through the Parrigues is at turns thrilling, tedious and frightening. Only the perspicacious and daring travellers among us may presume to uncover what a town's townsfolk have endeavoured all their lives to keep secret.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. [East Bellwood] Unusual books from the Teachers' Guild

In previous notices, I have alluded to an interest in the history of the Parrigues. The powerful and monied teachers' guild in East Bellwood in Ravenworthy County was therefore a natural choice for my latest expedition, as I searched for evidence from early Parrigues history.

Alongside East Bellwood's noteworthy markets is a superior library. Esoteric tomes of poetry recounting legends from surrounding counties may be found here, alongside pamphlets containing accounts of century-old ducal scandals. The library suffers for its lack of a librarian or, indeed, any form of organisation of its reading material.

It was in this state of chaos that I discovered a most unusual chapbook. In most aspects it resembled the cheap chapbooks sold in the markets, but this seemed to have been handwritten in a spidery, faint handwriting. It detailed the existence of a chasm just under the Feu mansion, which connected our world with the next. I had scarcely read it that I started to break out in a cold sweat and found myself irrationally worried for my life. As I was occupied in deciphering the subsequent lines, one of the teachers, dressed in the traditional velvet tunic, had approached me, as if to check if I needed assistance. When he saw that I was in possession of the chapbook, he immediately flew into a rage and I was forcibly thrown out of town, sans book, sans pack, sans everything. 

This has only strengthened my curiosity, but since I am of course unable to return to East Bellwood in the near future, anyone with further information regarding this bizarre chapbook are encouraged to add on to this notice.


	2. [Cleavestead] Review of the Stallion Inn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following my expulsion from East Bellwood, I continued to beautiful Cleavestead.

Following my ordeal in East Bellwood, I continued on foot to Cleavestead, determined to earn back some of what I had lost. Cleavestead is rightly known for its beautiful forests. At this time in spring, wildflowers are in full bloom and the trees are just budding. I spent many an evening walking through the stone paths which wind around the town, alone for the most part, or else accompanied by lone travellers hungry for human company. 

During my time here, I stayed in the Stallion Inn, one of the only inns in the town which accepts the coin of foreigners. (The others house locals living just outside the wall coming into Cleavestead for business.) Having not much in the way of coin, I supplemented my meals by foraging in the forests, which made for a relaxing and enjoyable pastime. The innkeeper, however, serves mugs of an excellent cloudy cider, if you ask to have a sample. The townsfolk are proud of their home brews and make ciders out of various woodland fruits. 

The rooms are warm in the night and cool in the day thanks to the stone walls. The strong young men who clean and maintain the inn can be persuaded to bring a washbasin, or a brick warmer, should you require one.

The Stallion Inn was pleasant enough, but staying for more than three days may arouse suspicion. A clutter of cats also inhabit the inn; do not be alarmed if one should find its way onto your bed.


	3. [Bankton] Findings in the Market

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sojourn in a bustling market town.

I continued to Bankton, travelling out on the mail service. Despite its plague-ridden trading partners, Bankton remains a vibrant market town, with a wide array of goods. Having earned a small sum from helping to courier for the mail service, I found myself with some change to spare in the markets. 

I naturally gravitated to the book stalls, both to browse the books and to ask the shopkeepers if they knew anything of the chapbook which I had last seen in East Bellwood. Curiously, the gentleman who stocked books on the occult knew nothing of it, but the seller who specialised in medical paraphernalia expressed wonder that I should know of such a thing. According to the seller, the book that I had seen was a reprint of a first-hand account of a sorcerer known primarily for dabbling with summoning spells. His (or her?) claims were initially dismissed, of course, but the seller insisted that all contemporaries who tried replicating his experiments disappeared. I was unable to get anything more out of value, apart from a collection of dentures, which I plan to sell in Stagby.

A note to fellow travellers: beware the pickpockets! I caught two young thieves with their hands in my pockets, but they had snatched naught but bits of string.


End file.
